Bitter Sweet
by lax14
Summary: Andy and Sam don't know each other, but when Andy accidentally runs in to Sam, he gets upset. How will they meet again, and what will come of their relationship?
1. Chapter 1

"Omph. I'm sorry."

"Ya, well maybe you should watch where you are going next time, then you won't find yourself in a situation where you're laying on the ground next to someone who you just barreled over."

"Hey what's your problem?"

"My Problem? You're the one who ran in to me! Maybe you should keep your eyes open while you are running so you can see where you're going."

Sam hadn't been having the best day and he knows he is probably being a little overdramatic, but he can't help it. He went for a run to clear his head and to let some frustration out, and this lady running into him wasn't helping matters any.

"I see you're just like 99% of the other guys out there; a complete ass. I was apologizing to you, but you know what? Whatever. I don't care. I'm just gonna carry on with my run and forget I ever met you. Hope you have a nice life."

"See ya."

It had been two weeks since Andy had run in to the arrogant asshole, and ok, she may not have completely forgot about him. First she had to rant to Tracy about him for an hour over a few glasses of wine while they were having one of their ladies nights. And then she kept thinking back to that day, and how rude he truly had been. Even if she wanted to, she knew she could not just forget about that incident.

Andy went out the following evening to do some running around when she saw a car slam into the driver side of another car. She ran over the the vehicles to make sure everyone was ok. She ran to the one she was closest to first, the one that crashed into the other, while calling 911. She told the dispatcher there had been an accident, so now the proper emergency personnel were on route. There was only a driver in the first car. A young man around 24 years old who seemed a little disoriented, but other than that, was ok. In the other car however, there was a mother with two young kids in the back. When she first looked in the car, she thought she was going to bring back up her dinner. A young boy around two years old, who was sitting on the side of the car that got hit, was not breathing, and when Andy checked for a pulse, she could not find one. The mother had a very faint heartbeat, but Andy dared not to move her, as she had a deep laceration on one of her legs, and it was pinned under the steering wheel. Andy told her help was on the way, and to keep calm and continue breathing. Andy then went to the other side of the car, and as she did so, she could hear the sirens coming closer. There was a young girl, about 4 or 5 years old, crying hysterically, and had a deep cut across her right cheek. As she was trying to calm her down, the paramedics and police officers arrived and took over. Andy stood off to the side and watched as the paramedics got the mother out of the car and in to an ambulance, and the police officers calmed down the little girl. Once she was calmed down, some different paramedics took her to the hospital as well to treat her injuries. As they were taking the young boy out of the car, a detective came up to her, so she couldn't see what was happening. This detective happened to be the same man she had run into two weeks earlier. She could tell he recognized her to, as when he started making his way towards her, he kind of slowed his movements for a second before continuing on to her.

"Hey there. I am Detective Sam Swarek. I understand you witnessed the accident?"

"Yes. I was just walking over there when it happened. How is the boy? When I checked to see if everyone was alright, he didn't have a pulse."

"I am sorry ma'am, I do not no at this moment. But I assure you, everyone is working their hardest to ensure everyone will be ok."

"Alright, ya. Ok. Its just when I.."

"Ma'am, I'm sorry, but if its ok, I really need to know what you saw. It's very important for our investigation."

"Oh I get it. When you're at work wearing the badge, or you need something, you're professional and polite, but when something is not convenient for you, you act like a complete jerk and won't even listen to what the person has to say. I was just wanting to know if the boy is going to be ok. That was it, but I guess that isn't as important to you as knowing what I saw."

"Ma'am, I am.."

"It's Andy."

"I'm sorry?"

"My name. It's Andy, not ma'am."

"Yes, right sorry. Listen Andy, I am sorry, but I do not know how the boy is. I am just letting the paramedics do their job, so hopefully they can save him. What you saw is very important and can help us understand how this accident happened. We need to know what you saw so we can piece it together. Once I find out about the boys condition, I will try and let you know, but for now, that is the best I can do."

"Ok, thank you."

"Now can you just walk me through what you saw?"

"Like I said, I was standing over there, and this car ran through the light and crashed into this one. I ran over to make sure everyone was ok, and as I did so, I called 911. I ran to this car first, and the guy seemed ok. He was able to talk to me and he didn't seem to have a injuries, so I ran over to this car. I checked the boy first and then the women. I saw she was pinned and had a deep cut on her leg, so I didn't want to over her. I told her help was coming, the I went to the other side of the car a checked on the little girl, and that is when you guys showed up."

"Ok thank you very much. I will give you a call in the next couple of days to come in and sign your statement, and if you remember anything else, here is my card so you can call me. Every detail is important."

"Umm ok ya. I can't think of anything else right now, but if I do, I will definitely call you."

"Great. Thank you Andy. If there is anything else I need, I will call you, but for now you can go home."


	2. Chapter 2

Thank you everyone for the reviews. I will try and answer all of your questions within the story as it progresses.

It was the following day Sam had phoned Andy to come down to the station to sign her statement. He had called her a little over an hour ago, and was expecting her to show up soon. What he wasn't expecting however, was her not to come for another three hours, almost at the end of his shift, and when she finally did show up, she looked like a mess.

Andy had just been doing up her dishes from her late lunch when Sam had called asking her to come and sign her statement. She still couldn't get the images of the previous day out of her mind. The little boys empty eyes staring back at her, the sound of the young girl crying, and all the blood from the mothers wound mixed with the pain her eyes. She didn't sleep at all the night before because all she would see when she closed her eyes was images of the accident, and while she was just laying there, all she could think about was how she handled the situation, if there was anything she could have done better, or somehow gotten help quicker. No matter what she would do, her mind kept drifting back to the previous day, so she decided she was not going to sleep. Instead she drank way to much coffee to make sure she wouldn't fall asleep, and she turned on the t.v to hopefully clear her mind, but even then, the images would still come back.

So now, Andy was having another shower to try and wash away some of the pain she felt, and did some other housework while prolonging the inevitable. She knew she had to go and sign her statement, but that would just bring back even more memories. She knew what had happened was real, but going in to sign her statement just made it all the more real, and with that Detective Swarek potentially asking her any other questions about the accident, or if she remembered anything else, well that would just force her to relive the incident all over again, which was something she didn't really want to do.

That was how Andy found herself walking into the police station looking absolutely worn out with dark circles under her eyes, still wearing the sweet pants and old t-shirt she was wearing while cleaning her house, a little over four hours after Sam had called her. When she first walked in, she saw Sam in his office through the glass window, and when she noticed he saw her, she waited patiently for him to come to her.

"Hey Andy. Thanks for coming in. Are you alright? You look a little tired."

"Umm ya well I didn't get much sleep last night."

"You know there are people you can see after witnessing things like these. If you like I can contact someone for you."

"Thanks, that's really nice, but really I'm ok. Just wasn't tired was all."

"Alright then. Well if you wouldn't mind following me, I have your statement all ready in my office."

Andy followed him to his office, and was glad all she had to do was sign it. "So thats it? I don't have to do anything else?"

"Nope that's all. Unless you remember something else that you may have forgotten about."

"No, I've already told you everything. Have you heard anything about the little boy? Or his family?"

Sam knew she was going to ask this, but telling this lady who seemed genuinely concerned about these people she's never met before the truth is a hard thing to do. I mean how do you tell someone that some drunk kid made the stupid decision of driving home instead of taking a cab, and ended up smashing into another car, killing a two year old boy and severely injuring a woman?

"Well the good news is the mother underwent successful surgery and is expected to make a full recovery, and the little girl is going to be fine."

"Thats great! How about the boy?" As soon as Sam hesitated she knew it wasn't going to be good news.

"I am sorry but the boy has died. It was determined that he was killed upon impact. There was nothing they could do to save him."

Andy's eyes started to tear up. She tried to prepare herself for this, but it is never easy. She blinked back her tears and asked Sam what the boys name was. She couldn't keep referring to him as the boy. This was an actual person she was talking about, he was someone and meant something to so many.

"His name was Tyson."

"Tyson?" Andy started tearing up again. Putting a name to the boy's face gave it even more meaning. "Ok, well thank you. I should really get going now." As Andy turned to leave, Sam called out to her.

"Hey Andy listen. I know this is hard but there is nothing anyone could have done. If you need anyone to talk to, or if you need help with anything, you have my number. You can call me anytime."

Andy gave him a small smile and thanked him. As she turned to leave, Sam stopped her again.

"Hey, I also just wanted to apologies for the way I acted before. Uhh you know, when we ran into each other" Sam said with a small smirk. "I just, I wasn't having the best of days and I sort of took it out on you, so umm, I'm sorry."

"Wow, umm thank you. How about we just forget about it? I mean, it happened a while ago and everyone has off days."

Sam chuckled a little at that. It is very true after all. "You're right. Lets just consider it disregarded. And remember, if you need anything, give me a call."

"I will. Thank you detective."


	3. Chapter 3

Hey thanks everyone for the reviews and alerts. I enjoy seeing what you have to say. I know some of you are asking for longer chapters, and this one is a bit, but making them shorter I can get them updated faster and still be able to focus on my studies. I will try my best to make them longer though. I also double spaced it this time so it will be easier for you guys to read :)

Andy went home thinking about her interaction with Sam. He seems completely different then when she had first met him. He seems genuine and sincere; like he actually cares about her, and she can't help but feel like she can trust him. And he's not to hard on the eyes either. That's another plus. Andy couldn't help but think about his eyes, the way they she would get lost in them when they were talking to each other, and how much emotion was displayed in them. She felt like she could stare in them forever and never get tired of it. She was just starting to think of the way his muscles moved under his shirt when she was brought back to reality from the doorbell ringing. When she answered the door, Tracy was standing on the other side.

"Hey Trace, what's up?"

Tracy could barely contain her smile when Andy opened the door. "I have great news, and I brought lots of wine to celebrate." Tracy exclaimed while holding up the wine she had brought with her for Andy to see.

Andy had no idea what the news could be. As far as she knew, Tracy hadn't been doing anything out of the ordinary, and she hadn't noticed a change in her friend recently, so she was curious to find out what was so exciting. "Alright, come on in. I'll get the wine glasses and then you can tell me all about this great news."

When Andy came back with the glasses, Tracy took them from her and poured wine in to both of them. "Well what I'm about to tell you might come as a bit of a shock. I mean, I haven't talked about it with anyone before, and I know I haven't shown a great interest, but I've been accepted in to the academy!"

"The academy? The police academy?" Andy was shocked. She had no idea this is what her friend was wanting to do.

"Yes!"

"When do you go? I mean, which group are you going to be in?"

"The same one as you!"

"The same as me! Oh my God. Trace this is so exciting!" Andy was totally shocked but excited all the same. Her best friend was going to go through the academy with her. No matter what, she always knew there would be someone there who she can count on, and someone she knew who would be going through the same things as her. They would be able to encourage each other on and motivate one another through the hard times at the academy. If Andy thought she was excited before, she was twice as excited now.

"I know! And I also know it's kind of sudden, but it seems like something I want to do and will be something I am good at. I understand it's going to be difficult with Leo, but with you talking about it all the time, and seeing the things they do, it made me realize that this is what I want to do. I want to be able to make a difference."

"Trace you're going to make a great police officer, and Leo will be proud of you. Oh my God, I'm so excited we're going to be in the same group!" Andy was having trouble containing the bright smile she wore now, and she lunged at Tracy giving her a hug.

After the excitement of the news wore off a bit, Tracy asked Andy how she was doing after witnessing the accident. Andy had called her after it happened and told her what she saw while Tracy tried to console her.

"I'm fine." Andy knew she would see right through it, but she didn't really want to talk about this now.

"Andy you're a terrible liar and the dark circles under your eyes tells me you didn't get much sleep last night."

Andy smiled a little. "You really are going to be a great cop Trace. I just, I couldn't sleep. Wasn't really tired. I did go and sign my statement today though."

"Well that's good. The detective didn't make you go through it all again did they?"

"No all I had to do was sign it. And he was actually really nice. Sweet even. He also apologized for before when I accidentally ran in to him."

Tracy laughed a little. "Well that's good. I still remember you phoning me up declaring a ladies night because you needed to rant about how obnoxious men are and have no respect for others."

Andy made a face a little as she remembered that day. She probably took things a little far, but she couldn't help it. That was how she was feeling at that particular moment. "Ya well I told him we should just forget about it. It happened in the past and that is where it should stay."

"Well I'm glad to see you didn't hold that grudge to long."

"Trace! Come on, I'm better than that."

"I know you are. It's just funny. Not even three weeks ago you hated the guy, and now you're portraying him to be some gentle giant with a heart of gold."

Andy couldn't help but laugh at that. She knew Tracy was pulling her leg but still. "I didn't say anything like that. I said he was sweet. That's it."

"Mhmm. Its just when you were talking about him, you got this dreamy face on, and I saw your hidden smile when you said he apologized to you."

"You know what? We don't have to talk about this because I am pretty sure I didn't make what you call a 'dreamy face'. He really was sweet though. He told me to call him if I never needed anyone to talk to, or if I needed help with anything."

"And was he making dreamy faces at you when he said this?"

"What Trace, no! He was just being polite. I'm sure he treats lots of people who have just witnessed a tragedy this way."

"Ya sure, right. And I'm sure he tells them all to call him if they need help with anything. So, are you going to call him to come help you fix your furnace, which I see you are still putting off doing."

"Totally unacceptable."

"I'm just saying. It was an open invitation."

"I think the wine has went straight to your head. I'm cutting you off."

"I don't think this has anything to do with the wine Andy and you know I'm right. I haven't seen you smile talking about someone in a while, and maybe you don't have to phone him to fix your furnace, but I don't think it would be a terrible idea to get to know him better."

Tracy could see her friend was thinking over what she had said. She was just hoping for once Andy would do something for herself and not over think it. Andy deserved to be happy and this could be her chance. She decided now would be a good time to leave so Andy could think things over for the night.

After Tracy left, Andy thought over what she had said. Maybe Tracy was right even if it was totally and completely crazy. She had only ever seen him three times after all, and none of them were exactly conventional. How after only seeing someone three times, one which wasn't exactly civil, do you feel so strongly about them to a point where all you want to do is be around them? She didn't even know who he was, or what he was like. Yes, she knew he was a detective, and he seemed to be a sincere person, and just by looking in to his eyes, she could tell he cared. What scared her though, was maybe he was like that to others to and not just her. If that was the case, then she would just make a complete fool out of herself, and she didn't want that to happen. Besides, how would she go about doing that? Just phone him and tell him she liked him? That she couldn't stop thinking about him? That just made her seem like some kind of crazy person and she didn't want that to happen. She didn't know how to go about it, so for now, there was nothing she could do.

Sam sat at home drinking a beer trying to watch t.v, but his mind would always bring him back to Andy McNally, the witness to the accident. He didn't know why, but he couldn't stop thinking about her. He has to admit, after meeting each other the way they did, and then her being the witness was tough. He expected the shot that she had given him when he was questioning her, but she had forgiven him without question. He had treated her terribly over something that was a total accident, just because he was in one of his moods. She didn't do anything wrong, but yet he felt the need to chastise her. He couldn't help but admire the way she held herself. She didn't take what he had said to her, she held her ground and stood up to him. And he could tell she had a big heart. His almost broke seeing her face when he told her about Tyson. She just cared to much about people and she wasn't afraid to show it, it was just who she was. That is why he found himself, phone in hand, with Andy McNally's number on the screen. All he had to do was press the talk button and he would be calling her. He told himself he just wanted to make sure she was alright. She did look absolutely heart broken earlier when she left his office. He knew he told her to call him if she needed anything, but Andy didn't seem like the type of person who asked for help. She seemed like a strong independent woman. At the same time however, he knew it was out of line. It wasn't professional of him to call and check up on her. That was not a part of his job description, yet all he wanted to do was hear her voice again. But when his phone vibrated in his hand, he didn't have to worry about that anymore. Andy McNally was calling him.

Hey sorry for a bit of a cliffhanger there. I wanted to get something up for you and I have plans for the rest of the night, but I will try really hard to get the next chapter up tomorrow evening sometime. (Fingers crossed)


	4. Chapter 4

So here is the next chapter everyone. It is my longest one so far and I really hope you all enjoy it.

Sam waited for the phone to ring a couple of more times before answering it. "Swarek"

As soon as Andy heard his voice she relaxed a little bit. She was fooling herself thinking she was ok after seeing the accident. If her mind wasn't being occupied by a certain detective, it was working in high gear going over what she saw again and again. She didn't know how to not think about it, and she didn't want to go yet another night with out sleep. She knew talking to somebody would help, but she just didn't know where to start, so she decided to call Sam. That was the easy part. After she relaxed from hearing his voice, she starting panicking because she had no idea what she was going to say. She didn't even think of that before calling him, but it was too late now as she knew he was waiting for her reply. "Hey, umm it's Andy. Andy McNally."

"Hey Andy, is everything alright? Something wrong?" He could hear the hesitancy in her voice when she started talking, and he could tell there was something on her mind.

"Umm, well, I just... are you still at the station?"

"No. I'm at home now. I left about an hour after you. Why? What's wrong?"

"Oh jeez! I'm so sorry. I just thought... you know what, never mind. I'm sorry I bothered you at home."

"No wait Andy. Andy it's ok. I told you to call if you needed anything and you did."

"Ya I know, but it's really not that important"

"Well there must be something on your mind if you are calling. How about this, I work night shift tomorrow. How about we meet for coffee and you can tell me what's bothering you."

"Thank you, that's really nice of you, but I shouldn't have called. It's really no big deal."

"It's not up for discussion Andy. I'll meet you at 9 o'clock at the coffee shop across from the station."

"Umm ok right. 9 o'clock."

When Andy had called Sam, she didn't know what to expect. She certainly didn't expect him to invite her for coffee to talk about her problems. Then again, even after only seeing him a few times, he acted like he cared and was interested in what she was going through. This made Andy both excited and nervous. When she looked at him, she felt as if she could tell him anything and he wouldn't judge her, that she could trust him with anything. This also scared her. She had never felt like this about anyone before, and she wasn't exactly sure what to do with it. She wanted to tell him how she was feeling and how much the accident had really impacted her, but she didn't know how she could practically reveal so much about herself to someone she barely even knows. She couldn't even tell Tracy how she was doing and she was her best friend. She wasn't used to relying on others. She grew up taking care of herself without any one looking after her. With her mother abandoning her at such a young age and her fathers drinking problem, she didn't really have much of a choice. But that's who she was. She didn't turn to others when she had a problem; she learned to deal with it herself. That is exactly why she had no clue as to why she wanted to open up to Sam.

Andy made herself a drink and sat down in front of the t.v. She knew no matter how hard she tried, she just wouldn't be able to go to sleep now. There were just to many things floating through her mind right now that she needed to think through. It had been a long couple of days. She started flipping through the channels in hopes of getting her mind of things, and she tried to the best of her abilities to focus on the screen in front of her. She would often catch herself thinking about something, and then force herself out of the thought, and instead on what was playing on the t.v. The only problem was, she wasn't interested on what was playing. Her mind was working in over drive on what to expect for tomorrow and she couldn't turn if off. Andy had been just sitting there lost in thought of both the accident and of Sam for a little over two hours when she noticed the time. It was a little after one in the morning, and she knew if she wanted to look semi presentable, getting some sleep would be a good idea.

As it turns out, ideas are just that; ideas. No matter how mush Andy willed herself to fall asleep, she just couldn't do it. And now it was 6 a.m., and Andy was just laying in bed staring at the ceiling. She had to meet Sam in three hours. She managed to role herself out of bed and make her way to the bathroom. When she looked at herself in the mirror, she could tell she had gotten very little sleep that night, and no sleep the night before. She hopped in to the shower hoping for it to make her feel more refreshed, but when she was finished, she didn't look any better. She made her way to her room and got dressed in jeans and a t-shirt before applying some makeup to cover the dark circles under her eyes. When she was finished, she looked at herself in the mirror and was pleased with what she saw compared to before. It was harder to notice the circles under her eyes, but the way her eyelids drooped were a clear indication of the lack of sleep she was getting. By the time she was finished, it was a little after eight and she still had to walk to the coffee shop, which was a good half hour walk. She pulled on a light coat and heading in the direction she needed to go, trying her hardest not to think about the conversation that lays ahead.

Once Sam had gotten off the phone with Andy, he couldn't stop the smile from spreading across his face. He wasn't positive where he got the confidence to ask Andy to coffee from, even if it was just to listen to what she had to say. He was just glad he could spend more time with her while making it sound like he was doing it as a part of his job, even if he wanted it to be more. He knew something must have been bothering her for her to call him though, and he really wanted to be able to help her. Also, by doing this, he felt like it would make up a little for him being an ass earlier. He knows she told him to forget about it, but he still felt a little guilty for the way he treated her. He was just going to have to get used to that being a tough day every year, and maybe from now on, take his frustrations out in his home rather than on complete strangers.

Sam went to bed earlier than usual that night, not wanting to oversleep even though the chances of that happening would be next to none. When he got up the next morning, he felt refreshed and he was in a great mood. He had a quick shower and changed in to his clothes before grabbing his keys and making his way to his truck. Sam arrived at the coffee shop twenty minutes early and grabbed a table. Andy wasn't long after him as he saw her walking to the door about five minutes later.

When Andy walked inside, she saw Sam already sitting at a table. He got up and made his way over to her as she got closer and led her to the line to order.

"First we get coffee, and then you are going to talk to me about why you aren't sleeping at night" Sam said as he pulled out a bill and gestured for Andy to order.

Andy looked at him with a shocked expression on her face. Was she really that obvious and easy to read? She realized Sam was waiting on her to order so she quickly did so before thanking him. "This is really nice of you, but I could have boughten the coffees. You are taking time out of your day to see me."

"Not a problem. Your job right now is to talk to me and tell me what's going on."

Andy didn't know where to start. He already knew she wasn't sleeping just by looking at her. Who knows what else he know too.

Sam could tell she was having trouble figuring out what to say, so he decided to help her out a bit. "I was right. You haven't been sleeping." At the nod of Andy's head he continued. "It have to do with the accident?" Again Andy nodded her head, but this time she started talking.

"I can't keep thinking about it" she said quietly. She then looked up in to Sam's eyes and he gave her a nod of encouragement. Andy still wasn't quite sure why she was going to tell him everything, but she carried on. "When I close my eyes, that's all I can see, all I can hear. I keep hearing the little girl screaming and Tyson's lifeless eyes staring back at me. I didn't no what to do. And then there was the mother. There was so much blood, and I could see she was in so much pain but there was nothing I could do. I just stood there useless!"

Sam was being patient, listening intently to what she was saying, but he had to stop her there. "Andy, there is nothing else you could have done. You did everything right. You called for help as soon as you saw it, so those people could be tended to faster. If you tried to move the lady, you could have caused her even more harm."

"But that's just it Sam, I didn't do everything right! There is always more I could have done. I.. I could have tried helping Tyson. I didn't even try to help him! I could have done CPR on him, I could have..."

Sam had to cut her off now. "Andy listen to me. There is nothing else you could have done. Do you understand?"

"But I.."

"No buts McNally. You did everything right. You checked on the victims to see if they were ok. I can't discuss Tyson's injuries to you, but even if you had preformed CPR, he wouldn't have made it."

"We don't know that. I didn't try it, so how can we possibly know that!" Andy was starting to get frustrated thinking about the accident again, and thinking of the things she could have done differently and Sam was here saying it wouldn't have made a difference.

"Andy you have to believe me ok. I'm telling you the truth. Trust me on that." Sam couldn't help but have his heart go out to her, She cared so much and she was carrying the burden on her shoulders. "It's not your fault."

Andy just sat there staring at him. She didn't know what else to say and he definitely wasn't giving her any leeway. She just had to accept the fact there was nothing else she could have done.

As Sam was sitting across from Andy, he saw the shift in her facial features. "Come on. Lets go get some air." Sam led her outside and started walking with Andy by his side. Neither said anything for about five minutes until Sam broke the silence. "Are you ok?"

Andy turned at looked at him as they both stopped walking. Andy went and leaned against a building near by still looking at him.

"Ya, I think I am, or at least will be. Thank you." She gave Sam a small smile which he returned.

"No problem McNally. I'm a good listener. Just promise me you aren't going to beat yourself up over this anymore."

Andy gave out a small chuckle "ya I'll try." She then looked at her feet and then back up at him with a questioning look. "How do you do this everyday? I mean see all this terrible stuff happen to people?"

Sam stared a bit before answering. "Because McNally. It can be hard some days, but it's worth it seeing the look on the peoples faces who we do help. Not everything is going to turn out the way we want it to, but we have to make the most of what we are given. Being able to help others who can't look out for themselves is a very fulfilling feeling."

Andy started nodding small. "I've been accepted in to the academy, but after what has happened with the accident, I don't know if I'll be able to do it" Andy admitted.

"Andy honestly, you would be great at this job. I haven't even known you for a long time and I can tell how mush you care about others. It may take a little getting used to at the start, but you will make a fine cop."

Andy smiled a shy smile at that. "Thanks Sam. I mean it. I feel like a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"That's great. I'm glad I could help." Sam really wanted to just lean in and give her a kiss right now. He was standing directly in front of her and she was up against the wall, so she would have no where to go, however, he knew how completely inappropriate that would be, so he instead settled with asking her to meet him again for coffee in a couple of days to make sure she was sleeping again. He knew it was weak, but he really wanted to see her again and that was the best he could come up with. Andy laughed a little at his reasoning for wanting to meet up with her again, but she agreed to it because she wanted to see him again too. They agreed to meet at the same place at 9 o'clock again in three days time. Needless to say, both of them went home with a smile on their face.


	5. Chapter 5

I finally finished this chapter. I hope you all enjoy it! Also it will probably be a few days before I will be able to post anything again. I'm sorry, but thanks for staying with me!

It had been the longest three days of Andy's life. She just couldn't wait for the time to come to see Sam again, and she was driving herself crazy while she waited. She cleaned her whole apartment from top to bottom to try and occupy herself. She scrubbed all of the walls, emptied out all of her cupboards and scrubbed inside of them, she cleaned her floors, and she even cleaned out her closet. She knew these things needed to be done, she just always felt like she had no time on her hands to do these things, a complete opposite of how she is feeling now. She feels like time is moving to slow, and she just wants to get the days over with.

Finally the day has come, and Andy couldn't keep the smile of her face. She had already showered and got dressed, and she still had plenty of time before she had to leave. It got to the point where she couldn't wait any longer, so she decided to leave even if she was going to be early. She got to the coffee shop at exactly 8:30 and found a table to sit at while she waited for Sam to show up. Fifteen minutes later she saw him walk in the door. She gave him a small smile, and he made his way over to her.

"You're looking better." Sam said when he finally reached her. He meant it to. She looked more rested and she no longer had to force her eyes to stay open.

"Thanks. I feels better too, so thank you again... for being there."

Sam nodded his head a little and gave her a smile. "What do you say we go get that coffee now. I have yet to have my caffeine fix this morning."

Andy nodded her head in agreement and led him over to the counter to order. "Ok, but I am buying this time. You know as a thank you and everything."

Sam was about to protest, but when she threw in that last part, he knew it was a losing battle, so he agreed.

They made small talk while they were drinking their coffee. Sam doubled checked to make sure she was alright though before they talked about anything else. Andy found it really easy to talk to Sam. He was a good listener and he always knew the right things to say. She started making it a personal goal for herself to make him laugh or smile more though; she could just not get enough of his dimples. She didn't remember noticing them before, but then again, it's probably because the first few times they met it wasn't under the best of circumstances. Now that she has seen them however, they have become infectious. She even found herself really having to focus on what he was saying because she would just get caught up thinking about him, which was completely crazy because he was sitting right in front of her. Eventually Sam had asked Andy why she wanted to join the academy, and right when she started talking about her dad, he put one and one together.

"Wait. Andy McNally. You're Tommy's daughter."

"Umm ya. I take it as you know him?"

"I do. I worked with him a few times at 15th before he retired. He's a great guy and one hell of a detective." Sam noticed her smile a bit at that. "How's he doing now anyways." He didn't know if this was a sensitive subject or not, but he was actually genuinely interested. He liked Tommy.

"He's good. I got him working the program, and he has been sober for about six months now."

"Andy that't great!"

"It is. I feel like I have my father back, ya know. I don't have to be constantly worried about him anymore, and I can actually talk to him now."

"It must have been hard growing up and having to look after him to."

Andy looked down at her hands as they drew random patterns on her now empty coffee cup. "It was, but it also it helped make me in to who I am today. I guess being you know my dad you probably know basically everything about me." Andy was still avoiding his eyes as she spoke.

"That's not true. All I know about you are the things you have told me. That's it."

That made Andy look back at him again. "I know people talk ok. I know people have said things about my mother and my father, and I also know gossip travels fast around the station from things my dad has told me."

"That's just it Andy, they're stories. Yes people talk and say things, but you can't get to know someone like that. If anyone thinks they can they are fooling themselves. Things people say don't make you who you are; it's the things that you do, and what you stand for as a person that make you who you are. People throw things around all the time, it doesn't mean it's true. All those stories have done is told me what you went through when you were younger, they didn't tell me what kind of person you are. Just because your parents took certain actions in their life that weren't exactly pristine does not mean you are going to do the same thing, and it does not make me think any less of you as a person. What I _do_ know about you is you have a big heart. You care for people who you don't even have a reason to care for them. I know you like your coffee extra hot with lots of milk. I know you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders even if it's something that is not you fault. I know you are one of the most genuine people I have ever met. I know that your eyes light up when you see something you want. Do you want me to keep going or..."

"No I get it."

"Are you sure? I mean there is more I can tell you if you want." Sam was giving Andy one of his signature smirks as he was telling her this.

"No that is really quite alright. Thank you though."

"I know all that stuff just from being with you Andy, not from anything that I have heard being passed around at the station."

"Ok, I get it. You are mister oh so observant who can deliver a good speech."

Sam laughed a real laugh at that and then just sat there staring at her.

"What?"

"You're something else, you know that McNally."

Andy blushed a little and hid her face. She didn't really know what to say to that.

Sam decided to break the silence. "You have any plans for the rest of the day?"

"Nope, nothing. Why?"

"Just seeing if I should be getting you home. I don't want to take up your day if you have plans."

"Well I don't, and I am actually enjoying the company right now."

Sam smiled at her before agreeing. "I would say I'm enjoying this too." Sam looked down at his watch and noticed it was a little after 11o'clock. They had been talking for more than two hours. "Are you hungry? I know it's not quite lunch time, but I may have not eaten breakfast" Sam admitted. He was to excited to meet Andy he couldn't even stay still for more than a few seconds. He didn't even think about grabbing a bite to eat before he left because his mind was only on one thing.

"Ya sure. I'm getting a little hungry. Where did you have in mind?"

"Where ever McNally, it does not matter to me. I would suggest here being we are here already, but seeing as they don't sell food..." Sam spoke trailing off at the end. "Why don't we just get in my truck and we'll see where to go from there."

"Sounds good to me." Andy said as she stood and followed Sam to his truck.

20 minutes later Sam pulled up outside of a small Italian restaurant. He met Andy at the front of his truck, and they walked together towards the entrance. Once they were seated and comfy, they started up conversation again. That was something Sam found; conversation always came easy with Andy. The waitress then came to their table to take their order, and after she left, a comfortable silence fell over them.

"Can I ask you something?" Andy asked after the conversation stilled for a bit.

"Ya sure. Anything."

"Why did you decide to help me? I mean I know you see lots of things, and I know there have been other people, whether they witnessed something like me, or if they were the victim, who were probably having difficulties coping too, but I'm sure you don't go out of your way for all of them."

"That's true, I don't. I don't know. I just saw something in you, and when you called me that night, I knew I really wanted to help. I don't like seeing people hurting, especially when it wasn't their fault. I knew you were taking what happened to heart, and believe me, I've been there. I just wanted to make sure you would have someone to talk to if you needed it, and for you to know you weren't alone."

Andy smiled at him. She was really grateful he had been there for her and force her to talk to him about what she was going through. "I'm really glad you did. You really helped me out." Andy hesitated a little bit and then she brought her eyes up to Sams and dropped them just as quickly. "Do you mind if I ask you something else?"

"Ask away."

Andy was fidgeting him her seat. She didn't want to make Sam mad, but she was curious. "Umm, well I... I know I said to forget about it, and really I'm not mad or anything, in fact, I am completely over it, but I was just wondering why you were in such a bad mood the first time we met. You are like a totally different person now, and I can tell that the person sitting in front of me is who you are, but I was just... just wondering I guess."

Whatever Sam was expecting her to ask, it wasn't that. His mind flashed back to that day a little more than a year ago now and how much he had hated himself and blamed himself for what had happened. He knew he had to be honest to her, share something about himself to her if he wanted to actually have something with her. If what she said this morning was any indication, she already thought he knew everything about her past, so it would probably be a good idea to level out the playing field a little and share something personal about himself with her. Also, this way he could maybe earn some more trust from her, and show her he is serious. "Uhh well.."

Andy had saw the emotions play across his face as he was thinking about what she had asked him, and it made her wish she hadn't said anything at all. "I'm sorry Sam. I shouldn't have brought it up. I told you to forget about it, and here I am bringing it up. You don't have to answer it."

"No McNally, that's fine. How about this, we will eat our food, talk about whatever else we are going to talk about, and then when we are done, we can go for a little walk while I explain everything."

"Umm, ya sure, ok. I don't want to pressure you in to anything though."

Sam gave a small shake of the head and had a serious look on his face. "You're not. I want to share something about myself with you."

Andy gave him a shy smile. "Ok then, lets do that."

"Good" Sam replied while giving her a dimpled smile back.

They finished their meals with light conversation floating between them and shared a few laughs. Before they knew it an hour had passed, so Sam got up to pay the bill. When he returned to the table, he smiled at Andy and took her hand. "You ready to go for that walk?" Andy nodded and allowed Sam to pull her up and lead her outside.

Once they got outside, they started walking still holding each others hands. They were walking in silence for about five minutes before Sam spoke. "Last year one of my best friends was killed in the line of duty. He was a detective at 15th." Sam looked straight ahead as he spoke. He could feel the glances Andy was sending him, but he couldn't look over at her. "He lost his life saving another officer. That was just who he was. Selfless." Sam felt Andy tighten her grip on his hand as they slowly continued walking. "I blamed myself for months. I just couldn't get the idea out of my head that I could have done something else, anything else, that could have prevented it from happening. I wished I could turn back the clock to before it happened and come up with a different plan, or anything really, so he could still be here today. It took awhile, but eventually I came to terms with what happened. I try to forget about what happened, and instead focus on the good times we had." Sam stole a quick glance at Andy and took in her somber expression. "The day in the park, it was exactly one year since he had died, and everything came flooding back at once. I was in a mood all day, mad at the world, and I just took it out on everything, even if it was something small. I just didn't care about anything that day, and I am really sorry for how I treated you, I just, everything set me off."

Andy remained quiet the whole time Sam spoke. She let him go at his own pace to explain everything. When she asked Sam why he had been in a bad mood, she didn't expect this, and now she felt ten times worse for asking and making him relive it again. "I'm sorry Sam." She didn't no what else to say. Her mind was spinning and overwhelmed my what Sam had just shared with her.

"You didn't know. But now you do, so if in the future you see me acting like a complete asshole on that day, you'll know why."

Andy stopped walking, and when Sam stopped to, she wrapped her arms tight around his neck. Sam was surprised at first by her actions, but then he wrapped his arms tight around her waist. "Thank you for sharing with me" Andy mumbled in to Sam's neck.

Sam exhaled a big breath and then released Andy and grabbed her hand again before turning back in the direction they came. "I want you to feel like you can trust me Andy, not just because I am a detective and people are supposed to trust us, but on a personal level too. And umm, I ahh, I kind of like you so, if it's ok with you, I'd like us to have a chance to be able to share more things with each other." Sam said as he looked over at Andy.

"I'm not really sure. Most times I like to share things with people who like me a little more than just a little" she teased. Sam gave Andy a playful glare and she laughed. "I think I would like that too." Andy said more seriously this time.

"So, you gonna let me drive you home?" Sam asked Andy when they made it back to his truck.

"I was thinking about it" Andy replied.

"Thinking about it is not going to get you anywhere McNally. Get in." Sam said as he opened up the passenger door for her.

Andy laughed and Sam couldn't help but smile back at her as he stood there with the door open. Andy took a step towards Sam and wrapped her arms around his neck. Sam didn't budge as she did this, so she leaned in and whispered in his ear "becoming a little demanding now are we?"

"Nope. It's just the only way I know that will make you listen." Andy grinned big at that as she stared in to Sam's eyes. Sam then leaned in and captured her lips in his before pulling away a few seconds later. "Come on. Let me take you home."


	6. Chapter 6

Hey sorry for the wait on this chapter. Unfortunately it will probably be a bit for the next chapter as well. I hope you all like this chapter, I'm not to sure how much I like it. Let me know what you think!

It has been two weeks since Sam and Andy's improve date, and for the past week, Andy has seen very little of Sam. He has been busy working on a case that has come up, and has been working overtime to stay on top of it. Andy know what it's like, that as a detective lots of work is required and they are often very busy, just from her dad being a detective. She knows his job is important, but she just wishes she could see him more. When they do spend time together, she enjoys every moment of it, and despite the circumstances, she is glad she met him. For the week after their date, they spent almost everyday together. Andy was learning a bit more about him just in that short period of time just being together. She found out the reason for him being a cop was because of his sister, and how she was attacked when she was 13, and she found out he became a detective after Jerry had died in honor of him. She was really happy with the way they were able to communicate and share things with each other, even though they haven't known each other for very long. She felt like she could trust Sam with anything, and no matter what, he would have her back. She couldn't believe how happy she had become just by having him in her life.

The following night, Sam had promised Andy he would cook dinner for her at his house. He was supposed finish is shift at 5, so he told her to come at 7. To say Andy was excited would be putting it mildly. They have always gone out on their dates before, never to each others place, and the way Sam had been bragging about how could he could cook just made it even harder for Andy to wait for tomorrow to come.

Sam had told Andy not to make a big deal out of it and to wear just what she would normally wear. He didn't want her to go all out and get dressed up because he knows she is the type of person who enjoys wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and he didn't want to make her feel obligated to dress up. He hasn't actually seen Andy in a few days, and he had only talked on the phone with her once in the last two. With the crazy shifts he's been working, it's been hard to try and find time to talk to her, and he didn't exactly want to call her in the middle of the night.

It was taking him awhile to decide what he wanted to make for her, so when he finally decided on lasagna, he knew he had to make a trip to the store to buy the supplies he needed. He stopped at the store after his shift the night before, so he would have more time to prepare it. He wanted this to be the best lasagna he's ever made.

Finally their date night has come around, and they both have been going crazy all day. Sam was having a busy day at work again as usual, and he didn't even leave the station until 5:45. Andy on the other hand has had nothing to do all day, and was ready to head over to Sams a couple hours after she got up. She just couldn't wait to see him again, so that is why she ended up at his place half an hour earlier than Sam told her to be there.

Sam had gotten home a little after 6 o'clock, and all he had done was throw his bag in his room, change clothes, and pull the necessary ingredients out when there was a knock at the door. He looked at the clock and smiled to himself. Andy must of had just as hard of time waiting for tonight to come as he did. When he opened the door, Andy was standing on the other side giving him a sheepish grin.

"Hey."

"Hi. I'm sorry I'm early, I just couldn't really wait any longer."

Sam laughed at her and shook his head. "Not a problem McNally. Come on in. I actually got off a bit later than anticipated, so I haven't even started dinner."

Andy grinned at him "That's fine. Now I get to watch you cook. This way, if your cooking isn't as good as you make it out to be, at least I get something out of it. I mean a good looking guy in the kitchen making me dinner, what could be sexier, and I get to sit here and watch." Sam stopped where he was and looked at her. In that moment Andy turned bright red as she actually took in what she said. "I really need to pay more attention to what I say. I really don't have the best filter system."

Sam laughed at her again and pulled out a chair at the island for her to sit down. "Just because it's you, I'll let you have front row seating" Sam whispered in her ear. Andy blushed again and tried to hide her face in her hands, but Sam took ahold of her face gently before she had the chance. Sam spoke softly, almost as though he didn't want anyone else to hear "I'm glad you're here Andy." He then proceeded to lean in and planted a kiss on her lips. He pulled back some, but now Andy had her arms wrapped around his neck holding him in place. She got lost in his eyes before pulling him back to her and kissing him. This time she deepened the kiss and held on to him nice and tight to make sure he wouldn't back away again. When she pulled away, she gently bit on his lower lip and tugged on it gently before leaning in and giving him another quick kiss. This time when Andy pulled away, Sam didn't move at all. He just stood there staring in to her eyes and then reached up and caressed her cheek. Sam gave her a small smile "I've missed you." Andy gave him a small smile back before giving him another quick kiss and pushing him away.

"Go make me food, I'm hungry."

Sam gave her a big dimpled smile "Yes ma'am."

An hour and a half later, they were both seated at the table with lasagna on their plates.

"Sam, this is delicious!"

Sam smirked at her. "Well I did tell you I could cook."

"I know, but this is like really good."

"Well I'm glad you like it. And I guess this means you got a bonus."

Andy looked at him confused "What do you mean?"

"You said you came early so you could watch Mr. Sexy work in the kitchen because you didn't think I could cook." Sam said with a small smirk pulling at his lips.

"Ok, that is not what I said at all."

"Oh no? What was your reason for coming early again?"

Andy looked off past Sam's head as she spoke "I just wanted to see you."

"Ahh right... you wanted to see me. And then you told me this way you could watch me cook; therefore, my point has been made."

"Not true. How was I supposed to know you didn't get off work until later? I just, I really wanted to see you, it felt like it had been forever since I even talked to you." Andy was looking at him now, but she was wearing a shy smile.

"I'm sorry I've been working so much. I know we haven't seen.."

"No Sam. I get it. I really do, and I didn't mean it like that at all. I was just looking forward to seeing you again."

"I know your dad was a detective and you didn't see him much growing up, and I don't want to go for long periods of time with out seeing you Andy. I enjoy our time when we're together, but just know if you do ever need anything, you can come see me at the station if you like. I could always use some good company."

"Noted." Andy said with a smile.

Andy helped Sam clear the table and do the dishes. "I'm sorry I didn't make any dessert, I ran out of time."

"That's fine. You can make it up to me by coming here and giving me one of your breathtaking kisses." Andy said as she made her way over to pull herself up on the counter.

"Breathtaking huh?" Andy nodded and pulled him in closer. "I think I can manage that." Sam said as he closed the distance between them. Andy wrapped her legs around Sam's waist to hold him in place as he slanted his mouth against hers. He then slowly moved his mouth down her jaw and neck, placing gentle kisses as he did so until Andy pulled him back to meet at her lips again. As Sam deepened the kiss, Andy let out a soft groan, and she could feel Sam smile against her lips. Andy broke the kiss but didn't pull away from Sam. She could feel his hot breath tangle with hers as they were both trying to catch their breath. "I want ice cream" she whispered once she felt like she could talk again.

"What?"

"Ice cream. I want ice cream."

"Now. You want ice cream now?" Sam was completely baffled. He thought Andy had just said she didn't want dessert.

"Mmhhmm." Andy stared in to his eyes before giving him another kiss and hopping off the counter. "Come on, I know this great ice cream shop close to your house."

"You're something else, you know that McNally." Sam told her with a smile on his face. "I know what one you're talking about. It's a nice night, do you want to walk?"

"Ya, that'd be nice."

"Alright then. Lets go."

Fifteen minutes later Sam was holding the door open for Andy to the ice cream shop. Sam watched her as she looked at all the flavours they had. She really was a big kid at heart. Andy noticed Sam just standing there watching her. "Aren't you getting any?"

"Yup. I already know what I want."

"Really? You haven't even looked yet."

"I know." Sam said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. Andy just looked at him funny and then went back to looking over her choices, and Sam smiled.

"Chocolate? It took you ten minutes to decide, and you went with chocolate?" Sam really didn't understand her sometimes, but that was part of the reason why he liked her so much; she kept him on his toes.

"What. I like chocolate."

"And it took you ten minutes to decide that." Sam was just bugging Andy now. It was one of the many things he enjoyed doing to her, and it was just so much fun.

"I like seeing the different flavours they have. I always look."

"And let me guess. You always get chocolate?"

Andy gave him a small smile. "Maybe" Sam couldn't help but grin back. "How about you. Pistachio? You already knew you were going to get that because you didn't look at the flavours."

"Yup" Sam said in a matter of fact way. "I always get pistachio, just like you always get chocolate, it just doesn't take me ten minutes to decide that" Sam joked.

Andy gave him a playful glare. But pistachio is just... weird."

"Oh ya? Have you ever tried it?"

"Nope"

"So you've never even tried it. Here" Sam said as he held his cone out for Andy to have some.

"No thanks" Andy had a contorted look on her face. "It's like green."

"So?" Sam said while trying to contain his laughter. "Try it. I guarantee you'll like it."

"What if I don't?"

"You never know until you try."

Andy glared at him again while thinking over her options. "What made you decide to eat this green mess?"

"I'll make you a deal. You try it, I'll tell you."

Andy thought it over for a minute. "Fine" she finally huffed out. "But if I die from this, it's on you."

"I think you'll be fine." Sam said as he held out his cone again. This time Andy took some, and as she did so, he closely watched her face. "Well?"

"Well I guess it's not completely horrid. I still think chocolate is better."

"Well I am just glad you didn't die" Sam said with a smile.

Andy just rolled her eyes at him. "Alright, well it's your turn now. What made you try it?"

"My dad"

"Your dad.."

"Yup. He was in the Kingston Pen, and the first time I went tot go visit him I was really nervous. When I got there, he gave me some pistachio ice cream, and I wasn't so nervous anymore."

"So you've been eating pistachio ice cream ever since."

"Correct"

"I'm sorry Sam. Whenever I ask something that seems harmless, it always involves you telling me something personal. You can just tell me if you don't want to share something you know. I understand that it can be hard to share."

"Don't worry about it Andy. If I didn't want to share, I wouldn't. I want you to know about me, so if you have questions, I don't care if you ask them. I don't know how to just open up and share things about myself because I don't normally think about them, that's why I don't just tell you about it on my own. If you ever have a question, feel free to ask."

"Ok. You know it does go both ways right? You can ask me things to. I know I'm not very good at sharing things either, but I promise I will try."

"I know McNally."

"How about this. We each get one question a day that we can use to ask the other person something and it can be used for anything. But we have to state that we are using the question. This way we can learn more things about each other because neither of us just open up and share things about us without being asked, and this way we won't feel like we're intruding in areas we aren't wanted. We can ask more than one question, but we both have to at least ask one a day."

"Umm ya. Ok sure. Why not. And these questions have to be personal?"

"No, not at all. It can be anything you want, but you just have to let me know that you are using your question."

"Ok then. That seems easy enough. Are we starting now or tomorrow being today is almost over?"

"I don't know. I didn't really think of that."

"Well here is my question then. What made you decide out of the blue to come and get ice cream?"

Andy laughed before answering. "Honestly?" Sam nodded. "When I was kissing you, I couldn't help but to want to kiss you after having ice cream and taste it on your lips." Andy replied shyly while avoiding eye contact with Sam. All Sam did was start laughing loudly with his dimples on full display before he stopped walking and pulled Andy to him. He bent over and captured Andy's lips and she started laughing. "What?"

"When I was thinking that, I didn't think you would get pistachio ice cream" she said with a smile.

"Well it's a good thing you liked it then" Sam replied before kissing her again.

"My question is what is your favourite season?"

"My favourite season. I haven't really though about that before. I guess fall. It isn't super hot or cold, it's a nice temperature outside. There isn't a bunch of snow, and I like how the trees look in the fall."

"I like the colourful leaves too. I have a second question."

"And what would that be?"

"Do you mind giving me a ride home? I'm forgot my coat at home and I know my walk home won't be near as entertaining as this."

"Absolutely. You didn't even need to ask Andy."

Andy looked over at him and smiled. "Thanks."

"Not a problem McNally." Sam replied with a grin of his own.


End file.
